Story Rating: 4 stars
Audio Rating: 4.25 stars
Narrator: Michael Dean
Length: 2 hours, 35 minutes
Audiobook Buy Links: Amazon/Audible | iBooks
Book Buy Links: Amazon | iBooks
After the attack that nearly killed him, Cosmo is just trying to recover. But when he hears Silenus’ voice, he runs. The king of the faun was once his betrothed, but Cosmo ran a long time ago, and he wants nothing to do with the King. At least that’s what he thinks.
Silenus has let his mate sow his wild oats for long enough. He wanted to give Cosmo the space he needed, but now with Cosmo injured, Silenus can’t and won’t wait anymore. He’s about to embark on a dangerous path, and he wants his consort at his side.
But Silenus needs to first prove to Cosmo that he’s sincere, and then not only convince him to stop running, but also catch him, before they can embark on their happily ever after.
This novella features everyone’s favorite faun. Cosmo has long been a secondary character in the Chosen One Universe, popping up all over the place to bring levity and heroism to the stories. Cosmo is a staple to the books, always in the background, and slowly showing the reader that he’s a much more complex character than at first glance. For this reason, I think this novella is best enjoyed having read most of the books in the universe. While it can be read/listened to without that knowledge, it truly adds something having read other books.
For me, this story is a bit of a mixed bag. It veers a bit from the established world conventions and, for me, that worked against the story. At the same time, with both Cosmo and Silenus being fauns, and the fae world working differently, I was able to let some of my hang ups go in that regard.
I’ve always enjoyed Cosmo, his infectious joy, his impetuousness, and his heroic heart. It’s always fun to seen him pop up in a story and enjoyable when some running jokes in regards to him show up. So I was very glad to see him finally get his love, as he’s been so overjoyed for everyone else finding their mates throughout the various series. Silenus is a bit more of a mystery, and we don’t get to know him as well, but we get his base character and that’s enough for now. We know that he wants what’s best for Cosmo, and that he loves him, so it’s easier to go along with it.
I would have liked to see some scenes explored more, especially the hunt at the end. And I side firmly with Cosmo throughout the story, and wanted a bit more from Silenus, as I thought Silenus was high handed at some points. But overall, I was most pleased with Cosmo finally getting the love he deserved.
Michael Dean once again nails the narration. At this point, he’s really dialed into the books in the series, and his voice is this series for me. In the past, I’ve had issue with some inconsistencies in the voices, but I didn’t find it so much in this story. It’s a short listen, as the story itself isn’t long, but for collectors of the Chosen One stories, this one is a must add. It’s a fun romp, with a little bit of weight, and the narration only adds to the story.
